REDIRECTED – “Call Me After the Holidays”: The 2021 Edition

Winter is certainly coming, but the pandemic is not leaving. COVID-19 is continuing to uproot normalcy and force businesses to change their models. With new daily cases on the rise (as of this writing), the threat of another shutdown seems to linger around every corner.  The pandemic coupled with the frenzy of the holiday season is enough to make anyone want to hold off stressful decisions. It hasn’t been easy to be a salesperson in the last few years. 

Everyone is hoping that come the new year, the pandemic will slow down and ideally come to a screeching halt. Even so, it is important to take uncertainty into account when prospecting and understanding that, “Call me after the holidays” may also mean, “Call me when COVID is over”.  (more…)

Your Prospect Demographics Have Changed, So Re-Qualify!

Your Prospect Demographics Have Changed, So Re-Qualify!

Your prospect list should always be a living document, but right now, more than ever, it needs a check-up. The companies that are back at work must be re-qualified before prospecting can be performed successfullythis task can be performed by either your salesman or by MarketReachThere are three prime areas that require a re-qualification in the face of changes that COVID-19 brought on, and they are (1) the decision-maker’s name and title, (2) staff size if that is relevant and (3) how to get in contact with the decision-maker if they are working remote.  Salespeople will be frustrated and, may in fact, become demotivated to prospect if their whole world is turned upside down — who they thought their prospects WERE, are NOT targets anymore. A salesperson’s job has become monumentally harder.   (more…)

Reallocate Your Trade Show Marketing Dollars

Reallocate Your Trade Show Marketing Dollars

If you haven’t reviewed your company’s cost savings as a result of trade show cancelations, look now! Even though your total investment depends on the size of your booth and frequency of events, it’s safe to say you’ve saved thousands of dollars. If trade shows have traditionally been a positive investment for your organization, your sales pipeline might be missing some new prospects. Here are some budgeting tips for the end of 2020 now that we are kneedeep in budget season. 

Are you using this money to grow your pipeline? If so, how? 

The unfortunate cancelation of all in-person trade shows and conferences have none-the-less opened countless opportunities for other marketing tactics to be utilized. Now more than ever, marketing and sales are working hard to ramp up business development. How is your company supporting them? Is your company pursuing B2B phone outreach tactics, email marketing, direct mailers or other lead generation techniques? On the digital side, do you allocate funds to paid advertising, for example Google Ads, LinkedIn Sponsored Ads, or Facebook Ads? What accounts for your biggest marketing costs? From a ROI perspective, if you’ve tracked results, which are most successful?  (more…)

Motivating Your Sales Team Remotely

There is no doubt that having motivated staff plays a huge role in the success of a company, however, the work-from-home model forces managers to get more creative in how they motivate their sales teamThe managers who have an in-depth understanding of their salespeople and what drives them will see positives results in terms of productivity. There are multiple ways to motivate your employees, but you must determine the best option for your specific company culture. In order to do this, consider asking yourself the following:  (more…)

How to Make Your Employees Feel at Ease When Returning to Work

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. As states begin to move through the stages of reopening, it’s starting to look like businesses will be able to start opening their offices sooner rather than later. Regularly check the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s website as it updates state-specific and sector-specific resources. Also tune into the CDC’s and AIHA’s websites for guidelines on office reopening. 

After months of working from home, it’s expected that your employees may be a little apprehensive about returning to work, especially when the future is so uncertain. Changes in the office environment will certainly play in a role in your employees’ uneasiness. Consider these steps (all of which you can start taking right now), that will help your employees feel more comfortable as we take the first step on the long road towards normalcy.  

Let them know that you will prioritize their health and safety 

Public health and government officials are guiding these decisionsWe will only get the “OK” to return to work when it is safe to do so. Still, it makes sense why your employees, especially those with compromised immune systems, may be nervous to be around others in proximityAs their employer, you can be taking steps right now to ease their concerns.   (more…)

REDIRECTED – Adapting Your Value Proposition During a Pandemic

As we slowly come out of the economic crisis that the pandemic has created, it will become increasingly important to emphasize the value your company brings to the table. Decision makers may not be ready to make buying decisions the same way they did six months ago, but then again, rarely are we making one-call-closes anyway, right?  However, in the months to come, it will ever-more important to show your prospects why they need what you offer so that when the time is right, they think of you. Undoubtedly, this has always been important, but since priorities have shifted (for example, getting staff in an effective work-from-home model), a strong focus on your value proposition should help redirect their attention. MarketReach can help script a new value proposition and deliver it your best prospects.  (more…)

What B2B Sales Activity Will Look Like in 2022 and Beyond

What B2B Sales Activity Will Look Like in 2022 and Beyond

The last few years haven’t been easy for those working in the B2B sales industry due to many barriers, including working from homethe difficulty of meeting in person, and the obvious non-sales related priorities that have taken over the psyche of buyers.  At the beginning of the year, like any year, we were all optimistic about what 2021 would bring, but now we must figure out how to pick up the pieces that the pandemic has left behind.    (more…)

How to Stay in Touch with Clients You Lost During the Pandemic

In the past few months, as businesses have closed their doors and began to work from home, and while spending on new services has become fewer and far between, most businesses have also seen a decrease in clientele. In the early months of this pandemic, B2B sales became less of a priority, and also difficult to figure out the right approach. For many, sales has been put on the backburner as other things, like transitioning to a new work environment, have been prioritized. Just because things have been tough, does not mean that they will not get better, however. It is more important than ever to stay in touch with your customers that may have put spend on hold during this time.  Here are some easy ways to stay in touch with clients that will make a big difference in the months to come:   (more…)

What to Expect from Salespeople at This Time

What to Expect from Salespeople at This Time

The past few months have been filled with ups and downs for salespeople. Although some businesses are seeing sales numbers return “back to normal”, that is not the case for all companies. Sales numbers are usually a good indicator of success, but now that your salespeople most likely aren’t making as many sales, what should you expect from them? Perhaps you’ve furloughed some employees and have brought them back with your stimulus check (even though your usual workload has not returned). So, if they can’t perform their main role of selling, what expectations should you have for your salespeople? Here are some aspects to consider:   

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The Paycheck Protection Program Loan was Extended – What This Means for Small Businesses

Within the last two months, we’ve heard a lot about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, which was passed and signed into law at the end of April. The loan has helped countless small businesses stay afloat during these trying times by providing them with the funds to stay in business, promise job security and bring back their employees. But, despite all of these benefits, the loan has also come with a number of stipulations regarding how it can be used and when it needs to be used by. On Friday, June 5, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, an extension for the usage of the loan, was passed by Congress. 

Let’s take a look at how small businesses were affected by this tight deadline, prior to the extension, why the loan was extended, and what this means for small businesses moving forward. 

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